Poor Unfortunate Souls
by Chloe Winchester
Summary: Dean is going to get Sam back, and once he does, he truly realized the Hell he's been, and is being put through. Spoilers for season 6. Hurt!Sam Protective!BigBrotherDean NO WINCEST OR SLASH INTENDED
1. Chapter 1

-Rated M for violence/gore-

**Poor Unfortunate Souls**

"Cas, are you sure this is gonna work?" I asked, looking from the angel to the hole in the ground that was slowly opening.

"Absolutely not," Cas said nervously, grabbing my arm. "This could potentially kill us both." I looked over my shoulder at the unconscious shell I called my brother.

"I'm in."

"In a moment, we both will be."

The hole was pitch black, a room filled with nothing but darkness. I felt hot liquid around my ankles as I tried to wade through it, trying not to think about what it was. Other than that, nothing, except the white light clinging to my shirt.

"Cas?" I breathed. I could see bright blue eyes in the light and the vague outline of a face.

"Shh…" I listened with him. My heart cracked when I heard it. Screams that gave me goosebumps reached my ears. I knew that voice…Oh god…

"Sammy." I went to run, to bolt toward him, to take him away from the awful red light that was blocking him from my sight. Lucifer…that light was him, he was hurting my brother-

"No!" Cas hissed, holding me back. "Stay here."

"Cas, I can't sit here and-"

"Do you want to save your brother from this, or not?" He challenged. I relaxed, tears in my eyes as I listened to Sam scream and cry. "Stay here, Dean. I'll tell you when you can retrieve Sam, alright?" I nodded, shutting my eyes as the angel flew into the vast space of darkness above us.

* * *

I looked around. He had to be here somewhere…Lucifer wasn't here alone. I had to ignore the awful agony that I knew Sam was going through, fight the urge to swoop down and take him away without any sort of planning. But I couldn't, I had to find-

A harsh white light far brighter than my own flew at me, grabbing me and shoving me back into this endless oblivion. I saw Adam's gaunt face through the glow, teeth pulled back into a snarl.

"Michael!" I exclaimed. "Michael, listen!"

"IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THIS WAY!" His voice was no louder than Sam's dreadful shrieks. "I'M IN THIS PLACE BECAUSE OF YOU!"

"MICHAEL! I CAN HELP YOU!" I bellowed. He stopped, staring at me. "You've been here for over a century, I know you want out. And I know you don't want to hurt Sam anymore," he stared at me, waiting for my ultimatum. "I can get you out of here, but you have to help us save Sam."

"What do I have to do?" He asked. I sighed, finally glad that I could get one of my brothers to cooperate.

"Distract Lucifer. Get him away from Sam long enough so we can save him. I'm going to need your help restoring him as well." I knew I could be asking too much, but judging from the desperation in his eyes, and the hope I had now given him he couldn't say no.

"Get ready."

He dove down toward the blood-red light, grabbing it and tearing it away from the screaming form.

"DEAN NOW!"

* * *

I sprinted toward him. I could hear him whimpering and crying, increasing my desperation to reach him. He was chained to the wall, shuddering, eyes closed. With what little light there was in this place, I could see him. Bleeding, mangled, eyes incredibly swollen and deep red from tears. "Dean…" he whimpered. My baby brother, my Sammy.

"Sammy," I ran to him, gathering him in my arms. He whimpered and writhed, trying to get away. "Sammy, Sammy, stop! It's me! It's Dean!"

His wounded eyes met mine, those eyes that hurt my heart on contact. "D-Dean?"

"I'm here, I'm here. I'm gonna get you out of here, Sammy." Sam latched himself around my neck, sobbing into my chest.

"I-is this re-real?"

"Yes, yes, Sammy, it's real. I'm gonna take you out of here, okay?" I said. He sobbed violently.

"D-don't l-leave me here, D-D-Dean, please," he begged, his voice so soft I barely heard him.

"I won't leave you, Sammy. I'm getting' you out of here," I swore. He looked at me, shaking so hard his teeth were chattering.

"Y-y-you pr-promised, y-you said-"

"Shh, your body was out. I kept my promise, Sammy. But part of you came and found me."

I felt Castiel's hand grab my shoulder, the same one that he had when he'd taken me from Hell what seemed like forever ago. "Sammy, don't let go."

The light above us was unbelievably bright. I held Sam's face to my chest, hiding his eyes from the light. I looked down, hearing this awful roar.

The red light was coming at us as we went up. A horrible beast snarled inside it, reaching toward us, toward Sam, who cried and flinched away.

"Cas, fly higher!" I saw a light above his, brighter. Michael…

The thing below us snarled again, clawing at Sam's legs. Sam screamed.

"CAS!"

We broke through; the rings came back up in Castiel's hand, sealing the hole before Lucifer could follow us out. We didn't stop in the hotel room. I saw my own body staring up at the ceiling as we went, higher and higher.

* * *

I sighed when we broke from Earth's plane. We were in Heaven now. Michael looked at me, then to Dean and Sam. "What do you need me to do?" He asked. Dean was holding Sam, repressed tears in his eyes at the awful state his brother was in. Sam's eyes were closed, not a surface on his naked body left untouched by some awful wound that would be fatal on a human body. He was crying, shaking all over, clinging to Dean for dear life.

"Dean," he choked.

"Shh, shh, I've got you, Sammy. I've got you," Dean soothed, pushing his blood-soaked hair out of his eyes. I looked at my own brother.

"Help me fix Sam. He'll die if I put him in his body like this." He nodded.

"If I do this, we'll be even?" He asked. I nodded. "And my place in Heaven?"

"We'll be set as equals," I said. He frowned. "Father's idea, not mine."

"Fine." I knelt beside Sam, urging Dean's hands away from him. He resisted.

"Dean-"

"Cas, I can't let him go," he said desperately. I looked at Sam, who was sobbing harshly.

"Dean, I have to help him. I can't do that if you're holding him. He'll be alright, but you have to let Michael and I do this." He reluctantly let go, setting Sam on the warm ground. The boy shrunk away from me, his hands searching for his brother, eyes squinting against the harsh light. "Shh, Sam, it's me, it's Castiel." I held his wrists lightly. He looked at me, still squinting.

"Cas?" He gulped. I nodded.

"Shh…Shut your eyes and breathe." He didn't listen. He looked over at Michael, the tears falling quicker, fear growing in his already white face.

"No, no, please, Cas, please!" His voice was small and strangled as he spoke, nearly inaudible. He was trying to scoot closer to me, away from Michael.

"Shh, shh," I placed my hand on his forehead, soothing him to the best of my ability. He shut his eyes, calming against my hand against his will. "He won't hurt you, Sam. It'll be better soon."

Dean was standing off to the side while Michael knelt down as well, hands clenched into fists, fighting hard to not go to his brother.

"I'll heal his mind." _Hopefully_. Michael nodded, putting his hands over his body, the mangled flesh and muscle pulsating blood.

I put my hands on either side of Sam's temples, repairing what I could right away. I saw such horrors, such disrepair, such agony. I felt the anguish of Lucifer and Michael's tortures. I heard his shrieks and pleads for his brother to save him, for me to save him. I saw every cut, every bruise, every taunt and curse and jeer. He shuddered under my grip, mind flying from one awful incident to the next. He watched his body be pulled away while he remained, vulnerable, every shield gone.

And I had to watch. Such longing for a gentle word, a soft touch, one second of being held instead of chained. He begged for redemption, for an end, for forgiveness, but most of all, for Dean. They attacked everything he cared about, making him see Dean perish in unspeakable ways, scream in his face that it was his fault Jessica was murdered, that his mother would still be alive if he'd never been born, that Dean had forgotten about him and never, _ever_ cared about him. I had to try and repair his mangled mind.

"Cas." Dean's voice was hurt, as were his eyes. He was staring at his sobbing brother, doing everything he could not to go to him.

"I'm trying, Dean," I said. Michael was having an easier time and he could most likely do this much quicker than I, but I didn't trust him inside Sam's mind.

It took what felt like hours, and even then Sam wasn't totally repaired. His cries had died mostly. There were some memories that I couldn't take away, or dilute. There were some that would be branded in his memory for the rest of his life. His physical state was near perfect, only scars and a few bruises remained.

"Will he be okay?" Dean asked shakily. I looked up at him, watching sadly as he harshly wiped a tear from his eye.

"He'll live."

Michael stood, backing away, glaring at Dean. "My debt is repaid. I owe you nothing." I nodded. He looked around.

"We're at war, aren't we?" He said. I nodded.

"I'll fill you in later." I grabbed Dean's arm, holding onto Sam, and flew.

* * *

I gasped, waking up like I had been dreaming. I looked over at Cas, who was standing over Sam, looking as if he were waiting for something to happen.

"Cas?"

"Give him a moment." I waited, unable to breathe.

_C'mon, Sammy, c'mon, wake up. Wake up…_

He gasped, sitting up, looking around warily. He looked scared, tears in his eyes, hands trembling. He looked at me, relief flooding him. I could see it. Emotion.

"Dean?" He breathed. I ran to him, hugging him as tightly as I could, and he hugged me back.

"Sammy."

Tbc…


	2. Chapter 2

**Poor Unfortunate Souls**

I clung as tightly to Dean as I could, shutting my eyes. What had I done? The things I'd let happen to Dean, what I'd said to Castiel...Oh God…

"I'm so sorry, Dean," I choked. "I'm so sorry. I l-let that thing turn you, and…and I let those flying things-"

"Shh, it wasn't you, Sammy. It's alright," he assured, rubbing my back.

"Dean," Cas said, I looked up at him. He glanced at me sadly. "We have to be sure." Dean's embrace tightened around me. He shook his head.

"Cas, we don't have to-"

"Dean it's alright," I said, looking at Cas. Dean reluctantly let me go, stepping back and watching me closely. Castiel sat in front of me, looking as if this were the last thing on planet earth that he wanted to do. "It's okay, Cas. I understand." I was shaking all over, tears in my eyes. I was scared. What if there was something wrong with me and they sent me back? Would they do that? I missed my brother so much, they wouldn't take me away from him again, would they?

He hugged me, gently, but firmly…so I couldn't get away. "I'm sorry, Sam." I didn't have time to say it was okay.

"GUAAHH!"

* * *

I saw Dean flinch and start to come toward us when Sam screamed. I hugged him tight, feeling for what I was sure was there. But if it wasn't…

I pulled my hand back out, gently rubbing his back, calming his pained sobs. "I'm sorry, Sam. I know it hurts." I nodded to Dean in assurance.

"After what I s-said to you, I deserve it." I felt an unusual pang in my heart. It hurt, and I didn't care for it.

"Sam, everything you've said or done this past year isn't your fault. You had no control over what you said or what you did. Dean and I both understand that; there's no need to explain yourself," I said. It was a fact, whether his humanity acknowledged it or not. He shook his head.

"You have better things to be doing th-than helping us. Why did you?" He asked, eyes tear-filled as he looked up at me. I couldn't imagine what they would be like if Michael and I hadn't fixed him.

"You're my friend." I said simply, standing.

"Thank you," he said.

"There's no need to thank me. I can see how gracious you are, Sam." I put my hand on his shoulder in a soothing gesture. "I have to go. If Raphael sees Michael he might draw him over to the other side." The boys nodded. I looked at Sam one more time before leaving the room.

* * *

I sat back down in front of my little brother, looking at him steadily. "Sammy, are you alright?" He looked at me. God, his eyes. I knew what that look meant. That look meant he was going to lie to me and tell me he was okay when on the inside he was burning. He was in so much pain, I could see it. God, Sammy…

"I'm okay," he nodded. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Sam," I smiled a little, "you spent over a year down there with them. That's more than a hundred years Hell Time, I know how that works." He stared at me through sad eyes, tormented eyes, eyes that made me wanna go back in that hole and rip Lucifer apart myself. I had my brother back, but he'd just gotten back from Hell. I knew what all of those firsts were. The first time you see daylight. The first time you realize that you truly won't be hurt anymore. The first time you see your brother again.

He swallowed, blinking rapidly, lips shaking as he spoke. "Okay, so I'm afraid I'm going to blink and I'll be back in that place." I put my hand on his shoulder, ducking my head to meet his eyes.

"You're not goin' back there, Sammy. You won't ever go back there again. You're out, you're free, and he can't hurt you anymore," I assured. "I didn't believe it when I first got out either. I thought just like you did." I glanced at his hands, which were folded in his lap. They were shaking.

"Sammy." I hugged him, tight. _This _was my brother. _This_ was Sammy, not that robot he was before. He hugged me back, so tight it hurt. I wouldn't be surprised if his fingers were white. He wasn't crying, but I could tell he wanted to.

"I'm really tired," he said softly. I nodded, understanding how late it was, and that he hadn't slept in over a year.

"Okay," I smiled. I stood, tossing him his bag. He took it, looking over it as if he'd never seen it before. "You alright, Sammy?" He looked up at me.

"I…it took me a minute to remember this was mine," he whispered. I nodded solemnly.

"It'll be alright, Sammy. I promise."

I changed into my own clothes, peeling off the many layers until I was down to my T-shirt. Sam was already lying down, almost asleep. I flicked the light in the bathroom off, leaving the room dark. I stretched, heading for my own bed.

I heard the whimper then. I froze, turning toward Sam's bed. "Sammy?" I whispered.

"Dean, can…can you turn that light back on?" He breathed, voice shaking. I obliged as quickly as I could, bending down next to him when I did. He looked at me through the semidarkness with bleary eyes.

"It's alright, buddy," I assured, nodding a little. "You want me to turn the T.V. on for background noise?" I saw the shame in his eyes as he nodded. "Sammy, it's okay," I gently rubbed the back of his head. "It's alright. Just rest, okay? And if you need anything, _anything_, I'm right there, okay?" He nodded, sniffing a little.

"Thank you, Dean." I smiled.

"No problem…bitch." He grinned.

"Jerk."

I gave him another smile before going to my own bed, flicking on the T.V. I knew I wouldn't be sleeping well. I waited, watching him closely, making sure he got to sleep alright before I dared to let myself doze. It took almost two hours for him to fall asleep. He was scared, I'm sure. Scared that the motel room would melt away and he'd be left alone in that place again, left for Lucifer to do God knows what, or Michael for that matter.

_I'm here, Sammy…I'm here_.

Screams made me jolt awake. I sat up, looking at my brother.

He was tangled in his sheets, soaked in sweat, writhing and screaming my name. "DEAN! DE-EAN! HELP ME! Oh, oh, god, no…please, PLEASE! GAHNN! DEAN!"

I rushed over to him, shaking him in an attempt to get him to wake up. "Sammy, Sammy, wake up! I'm here, buddy, I'm right here. Just wake up!"

He sat up, gasping, shuddering, sobbing violently. I wrapped my arms around him, holding the back of his head. "Shh, shh, it's okay. It's okay. Shhshhh….I've got you, Sammy."

"I'm s-s-sorry," he gasped. I frowned.

"Sammy, it's alright. I had more nightmares than I could count my first night out. It's alright," I assured.

"B-but I wa-wasn't there for y-you."

I shut my eyes, trying not to remember waking up by myself, scared out of my mind and wishing Sam was there with everything I had. "That doesn't matter now, Sammy, it's okay," I smiled lightly at him. His breath was shaky, tears spilling onto his cheeks. I hugged him again, tight, gently rocking him back and forth. "It's okay, Sammy. It's over now, it's over."

"Th-they, I-"

"I know, I know, shh…Hush. You don't have to explain it to me, it's okay." I smoothed his hair. For someone so big he felt unbelievably small, like he did when he was a kid. I shut my eyes, holding him just a little tighter. "I've got you, little brother. It's alright now."

* * *

I don't deserve this. After the Hell I'd put him through, after what I'd done when he'd gotten out of Hell I didn't deserve his comfort. I'd left him alone, then wondered why he didn't tell me what had happened to him. I was never there…

"Shh, it's okay, Sammy. It's okay." I cried at the memories that had plagued me. That horrible black room, Lucifer's monstrous hands all over me… God, the floor had been filled with my blood, all the way up to my knees.

I gripped Dean harder, hoping I wasn't hurting him. I was so tired, so weary. I just wanted to forget that place. And until I did, I had my brother to help me. My eyes were growing heavier, sobs becoming small whimpers and shakes. "Dean…"

* * *

He fell asleep while I was hugging him, and I didn't let him go. I knew that hollow feeling you got when someone wasn't there. When someone let you go, you felt it, and that just fed the nightmares into coming back, stronger, like they knew you were alone.

I stayed with him all night, dozing seldom, soothing him every hour or so. Complications, ones I could deal with. I understood what he'd been through, I knew what Hell did. And he'd had four times the torture I did.

Samuel could wait. Meg could wait. Cas's war in Heaven could wait. Right now I had to be here for my little brother. And I would be, every second, until he was alright again.

"Dean," he whimpered.

"I'm here, Sammy."

**END**


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